Speaking on the occasion, the health secretary said that in first phase, “Prime Minister National Health Programme” was being introduced and implemented in 23 districts of the country which later would be expanded to all districts of the provinces”.

“Quetta, Lasbela, Loralai and Kech will be the districts of Balochistan, where first phase of the programme is being started,” he added.

He said “national health insurance will be given to people living under poverty line,” so they could avail free of cost medical treatment of fatal diseases including diabetes, cancer, angioplasty and others.

He said that the government would bear medical expenditures of these people.

Ayyub Sheikh said that social mobilization would also be carried out to register these people.

Every family registered under National Health Insurance would get free of cost medical treatment which would cost from Rs 250,000 to Rs 700,000, he added.

Chief Secretary Balochistan, Saifullah Chattah said the government was going to launch Prime Minister National Health Program in the province which would benefit 242,000 people.

He said the government had been using all available resources to provide health facilities to people.

“It is responsibility of the government to provide health facilities to people,” he said, adding that the Balochistan government had been fulfilling its responsibilities in this regard.

He welcomed the introducing of Prime Minister National Health Program in Balochistan adding that the provincial government would extend its cooperation fully in this regard.